


In a Land that Time Forgot

by Chibiness87



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - The Enchanted Forest (Once Upon a Time), F/M, Pre 1st Curse, Rumbelle from 3rd person POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:55:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24413212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chibiness87/pseuds/Chibiness87
Summary: In an alternate FTL universe, the rumours have been making the rounds for a few moon cycles. About Regina. And a weapon she supposedly has to control the Dark One. A weapon Snow thinks will aid them all, but David’s not so sure.Or:Charming ships them too.
Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold
Comments: 8
Kudos: 71





	In a Land that Time Forgot

**In a land that time forgot,** by **chibiness87  
Rating**: K  
**Spoilers** : Takes place pre 1st curse.  
**Disclaimer** : Not mine

* * *

He has been happily married to Snow for a few moon cycles when the rumours start. About Regina. And a palace. And a weapon she supposedly is keeping there.

A weapon against the Dark One.

David dismisses them at first. One, because he still distrusts about 87% of the rumours about his step-mother-in-law, and two, because who ever heard of such a weapon?

But then the story grows, gains breadth as well as width, and even Blue seems wary when he asks her one day about such a device.

“There is a story,” she admits, almost as if against her will. “One where a man found a knife and with it harnessed the power of the Dark One.”

“A knife?”

David looks over at Snow, the slight gleam in her eye. It is a sight he has seen before, and one that normally leads to trouble.

Adventure, true, but mostly trouble.

But then she turns her eyes on him, and they become wide and guileless, and maybe he misread the gleam. Maybe the passion he sees there is for something else. Something good.

“We need to find it.”

“Snow.”

But she is insistent. “Think, Charming. We could finally be truly safe.”

“Yes,” says Blue. “We could all be safe.”

And then, before he’s quite sure how he’s been roped into anything, he’s leading a small army of dwarfs (no pun intended) to a castle in search of a blade. He even has a nice sheath attached to his belt to hold said blade, should it be found. And while a part of him hopes they do manage to find the weapon, if only so he can return it to its proper owner (because no man should have that much power over anything, let alone another being), a larger part of him hopes the rumours are just that, rumours, and there is no weapon to speak of.

That way, when he returns to his home with nothing, he can at least tell Snow he tried.

That way, at least they will not have to worry about the retribution of Rumpelstiltskin as well as Regina. One magical being in the realm being annoyed at them is bad enough. To evoke the wrath of two just seems stupid.

The palace, when they finally reach it, seems to be deserted. David lets loose a small sigh of relief; whatever the outcome of the knife hunt, at least they will not have to fight their way inside. Grumpy offers to scout out the perimeter, and David nods, waiting with the others until the sun is well past its zenith. He’s almost certain he’s going to have to stage a dwarf rescue when he finally sees Grumpy making his way carefully through a gate in the wall. Seeming to sense where his brothers are, it takes a few moments until they are all reunited, and David has the courtesy to at least let the dwarf regain his breath before questioning him.

Grumpy nods. “There’s _something_ there, alright. Place seems pretty much deserted, no idea where her royal pain in the butt is, but the tower, there... there’s something in there. If there’s any weapon here, that’s where it’ll be, I wager.”

David nods. It seems likely, but still, he’s not about to risk the lives of his friends unnecessarily. “Guards?”

Grumpy shrugs. “Only a few that I saw. Maybe a few more inside.” He eyes narrow. “Why? You got an idea I don’t know about, Charming?”

David lets his mouth curl up in a hint of a smile. Pulls a bag from his belt. “Poppy powder. Snow thought it might come in useful.” He weighs the bag carefully in the palm of his hand. “Got enough for at least three score men here. Knock them out until at least dawn, I’d reckon.”

Grumpy smiles, his grip on his axe tightening slightly. “Nice.”

Doc looks around. “What do you think? Can we go now or should we wait until nightfall?”

Sneezy shrugs. “Night means when they’re down for the count we could have a bit more of a head start on them.”

David nods, but adds, “Only if they’re not being relived.”

“True.”

“Didn’t see no one looking like they were catching a nap.”

Doc looks to the sky, mapping the sun’s position. “I think it’s be better to go now. We know how may were dealing with right now. Seems stupid to run the risk of waiting and then having the numbers against us. Even with that powder.”

David nods. “Now it is.” Handing out the powder, he tells them, “Split up. Only use the powder if you have to. Search as much as possible without disturbing anything. We don’t want Regina to suspect anything. Better not look in any mirrors either. She could have spies anywhere.”

The others nod, and he takes the last share of the power for himself.

The approach to the castle is smooth, and it isn't long before David’s at the foot of the tallest tower, Grumpy by his side. The door opens with barely a sound, and that alone is enough to convince him there is something of importance in this secluded pace; there has been no chance for rust to set on the hinges.

The guard at the foot of the stairs goes down in a heap without a sound, as do the next two. _What_ , David wonders, _does she have that warrants such manpower_?

The door at the top of the stairs is guarded by three men, and it is only thanks to his quick reflexes that a stray thrust from a sword as one of the soldiers as he falls does not land its mark. Glancing at each other, David wonders for a second if they have made a mistake. If what is behind the door is so terrible to need such protection. There are even wards on the door, he realises. Marks hewn into the wood so as to appear like the door itself is shielded.

How very odd.

Grabbing the set of keys from the table, it takes a few tries until the lock clicks, and David keeps his sword drawn as Grumpy slowly pushes the door open.

He’s expecting to be rushed at, expecting horrors or dragons or monsters. After all, this is Regina, and so there must be something or someone truly fearsome inside this room. Instead, it is empty.

Or at least, that’s his first impression. Until a shadow frees itself from the wall, and his sword falls to his side in shock.

This is no monster. No dragon. No. The most powerful guarding wards of all, and they are all for-

“Belle?”

“Dreamy?”

And all David can do is watch dumfounded, as the small slight girl all but bursts into tears at the sight of the burly dwarf beside him.

“What the hell are you doing here, girl? I thought you were back with you fella. Ol’ Whats-his-name.”

The girl, Belle, bites her lip, eyes sliding away to the ground. “Rumple? No. we uh…” she shrugs, like she doesn’t care when it is so painfully obvious she _does_. “I was on my way back, but I got captured.”

“How long have you been here?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugs again. “I started counting,” she nods towards the walls where tally after tally is etched into the stone, tens and hundreds of days by the look of it, and David’s stomach turns at the thought, “but then they found the stone I was using and took it away.” She shivers, and it is only now that he realises what this girl, this prisoner, is wearing. And, more precisely, what she’s not.

His cloak if off his shoulders in a matter of seconds, and he wraps it slowly over her slim frame.

Belle keeps peering over his shoulder, he notices, and he turns to see what it is she’s looking at. But there is nothing there. Confused, he turns back to ask her, but her head is down again. “He’s not here, is he?”

Her voice is soft, quite with a hint of an accent he can’t quite place. “Who?”

“Rumple. Rumpelstiltskin.”

David shakes his head. “Why would he be?”

She shrugs, making the manacles around her wrist clang, and he wants to hit himself for not acting sooner to get her out of them.

“I thought he might come. I…” her head bows again, and he swears he hears a sob in her voice. “He really is done with me, isn't he?”

And suddenly, David knows. Knows exactly who she is, and what she is. Knows exactly why Regina has this girl locked up at the top of the tallest tower in her castle. There is no knife, or if there is, it isn't here. The weapon the rumours spoke of. The thing to hurt Rumpelstiltskin. It’s _her_.

The warmth in his voice when he described her. _A brief flicker of light in an ocean of darkness._

And the pain, the utter sadness in his voice when he told him, “She died.”

Rumpelstiltskin is the most powerful being in the land. He can make any potion, cast any spell. He makes deals with the needy and the rich and the poor. A simple forgetting potion is something he could probably whip up in an afternoon; he’s seen the effects of the one Snow took all those moons ago. And yet, he remembers. He _chooses_ to remember.

“No,” he says, and watches in awe as her face seems to lighten with his denial, “he isn't done with you at all.”

The manacles fall to the ground with a clatter, and Grumpy helps her to her feet. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.” She nods, and then starts when Grumpy falls to his feet unconscious.

Eyes flashing in betrayal, she takes a step backwards.

“What are you doing?”

David sighs, letting the remaining poppy powder fall to the floor. “Giving you a choice I don’t want the others to know about.”

Her voice hard, she stares him down and oh, he can see why Rumpelstiltskin fell for her. “What choice?”

“You can come back with me. Or go home, wherever that is. Or you can…”

“Home. I want…” She softens, broken edges beginning to shine through. “Take me home.”

“Okay.” David sighs. It’s not like he wasn’t expecting her to rush at the chance of returning to her family. “You’re from the north, right? I couldn’t quite place your accent, but it sounds that way.”

Her eyes crinkle, like he’s said something confusing, and then her face clears. “Oh. No, I mean yes, I am, Avonlea, but that’s not…”

Understanding flashes over him like a wave. Of course. Idiot. “You want to go _home_.”

She nods, suddenly shy. “If he’ll have me.”

“He’ll be a fool not to.”

Wary now, the time with the Dark One obviously paying off, she asks, “What’s the catch?”

But David is tired of pretending like this mission hasn’t felt like they’re acting more like Regina than themselves. Tired of playing games with people and magic and things too powerful to truly understand. So he shakes his head. “There isn't one. Not for me.”

“Why?”

“Rumpelstiltskin once found a way for me to be reunited with my True Love,” he tells her, thinking of the forest and the ring. A conversation about love and loss. Looking at her now, he sees the love she has for the imp, despite being who he is. Or maybe even because of it. Who knows, when it comes to love? “Seems only fair I get to return the favour.”

Belle smiles, the first true smile to cross her face since they have met, and it seems like her face is transformed. A flicker of light indeed.

Helping her to where he left his horse, he settles her in front of him. “Sorry. Wasn’t exactly expecting you, and the dwarfs don’t like riding.”

But Belle smiles gamely, her attention already on the road before them. “It’s no problem. How far?”

It’s about a day’s ride to the castle, but I was thinking of seeing if we could meet him on the road.” He ducks his head, turns back to look at the castle. “Don’t want the dwarves to think I’ve betrayed them.”

Before him, Belle tenses. “Have you?”

David shrugs. “Not sure. It’s no matter. Come on.”

Kicking his horse into a steady canter, mindful of the extra weight, slight though it is, they ride until the moon is high in the sky. Slowing to a trot then a walk, David eventually finds a clearing he’s happy with. Dismounting, he helps her from the horse, and has only managed to get the imp’s name out once (instead of the supposed three times it takes) before there is a flash of smoke, and the Dark One is standing before him, and oh, he really should have thought this part through.

David opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. After all, how exactly does one explain to someone who isn’t quite an enemy, but also isn’t really a friend, they found their supposedly dead true love while looking for a way to control you? When another attempt at starting fails, Rumpelstiltskin huffs. Mimicking his gaping mouth for a moment, he twitters, “Yes? I’m very busy and important. What do you want?” Eyes narrowing, his arm comes up in a flourishing wave. “Trouble in paradise already?”

“Rumple.”

The voice from behind him has an almost immediate effect; Rumpelstiltskin _freezes_. He does not slow, does not halt, but comes to such a sudden stillness one may be forgiven for thinking a bottle of squid ink had just been poured over the imp’s head.

“No.”

And then he’s gone. Just like that. No smoke, no flourish, no goodbye. Just there one moment and gone the next. David’s pretty sure he’s still doing a wonderful impression of a fish out of water at this point, but the sigh from behind him reminds him once again he’s not alone.

Turning to the slight woman, he sighs. “I didn’t think he’d react like that. I’m sorry.”

Belle nods, biting her lower lip, and he’s saddened to see the film of tears in her eyes.

Before he can say anything, before he can do much more than blink, there’s a smell of ozone and Rumpelstiltskin is back. Still no smoke, and the appearance makes him jump. Not that the Dark One is paying him any attention whatsoever. No indeed, his sole focus is now on his companion.

Slowly, his hand comes up, and David is shocked to see the slightest of tremors there. If he wasn’t looking quite so closely he’s sure he would have missed it, but Belle, for all her small stature seems to almost expect it, and manages to clasp the green/gold claw of one of Rumpelstiltskin’s hands between her two own. A pained moan, something that could be her name and sounding so much more human than anything he’s ever heard escapes at the contact, and David is surprised to realise it came from the imp himself.

And then there’s movement, rushed and hurried and blindingly quick after all the stillness, and Belle is all but engulfed by the sorcerer. Hands fisting at her sides, her hair, his face at her neck, back heaving in what he would swear were sobs. David takes a step forward, to help, to watch, to intervene (he’s not sure which), but as soon as he gets to within arms-reach, there is a shimmer and a tang of ozone once more and then he is alone.

No imp. No Belle. And then a moment later his cloak reappears, falling into the churned mud at his feet.

Charming.

Huffing a sigh, David turns back towards his horse, only to be stopped by the sight of a scroll floating in mid-air, as if by magic.

No.

Totally by magic.

Taking the scroll in hand, he’s shocked by the hastily scribbled missive, barley legible on the parchment.

_I owe you a favour._

_Rumpelstiltskin._

David smiles to himself, tucking the scroll into his saddlebag, before mounting his horse and turning back the way he’s come. Who knows?

Snow and the dwarfs may yet forgive him after all.

End

* * *

Thoughts?


End file.
